I have an '02 Honda Civic Ex with over 200,000 miles. I have been told that the catalytic converter needs to be replaced, and I am trying to figure out the best/cheapest way to go about this. I don't feel qualified to do this myself, but I am stunned by the $800-1000 price-tag that mechanics have quoted me. Is ordering the cat converter online and then having a mechanic install it a possible solution? And if so, how do I know which cat converter to order? I'm not looking to increase car performance or anything fancy, I just want my car fixed. Any advice is VERY MUCH appreciated. Thanks!

 

It really depends on the converter. An OEM honda converter is very very expensive. Look on Majestic Honda - The Internet's #1 Honda Automotive Parts Store to get an idea. I think the one for my car was in the range of $650 just for the part!

You can get aftermarket converters that are typically way cheaper but dont always work for very long. You need to ask the mechanic exactly what converter he'll be putting on. If he's putting a crappy converter on and still charging you for the expensive one you really need to be aware. They dont always fail immediately and sometimes take up to a year. Within the realm of aftermarket, they make ones that directly bolt on and generic fit ones that have to be welded on.

FWIW, I bought a direct bolt on Magnaflow and replaced it myself when my OEM converter died at 130,000 mi. The cat converter and new bolts cost me a total of $300 and has been good for 20,000 mi. Honestly, your car is almost 10 years old, if you dont start learning how to do some of these things yourself you're going to be spending a LOT of money.

 

If you dont install it yourself, ask around for a mechanic that will use customer parts. some do and some wont. Often times the smaller shops are more likely too. Shouldnt be more than 1 hr labor.

Magnaflow has a pretty good warranty, I believe its 3 or 5 years. They are legal in all states except California to pass inspection. Im not sure about an 02, but im about to get one for my 00 and I can get a direct fit high flow Magnaflow converter from an ebay vendor for under 200 shipped. If you were to do it yourself, you would need new bolts and a new donut gasket from autozone, those would definitely be under 20.

 

I replaced the cat on my 98 ex. I had the p0420 code and purchased a used cat from craigslist for 20.00, and installed it myself in about an hour. Just used a lot of wd-40. Look on craigslist. 10k miles later and used cat still holding up

 

I have a Magnaflow universal fit for my Mazda that hasn't been installed yet. It is stainless steel and cost me under $100. I did find that making sure the cat is really hot when the smog test is run makes a huge difference. Surprisingly, my 89 MX6 GT passed this year, so the cat sits in the garage for the time being. My 97 CX with 140,000 miles on it is still passing smog easily.

 

That's the main reason the factory puts heat shields on a cat, to keep it hot so it works better.